LOVE LOCAL
TKeeping C
hickens and ducks that is, and for the Wood family - the farmers behind Blackacre Farm
free-range eggs – it’s all about keeping their expanding brood happy. And aftermore than three
decades in the poultry business, theWoods themselves seemvery content. “There’s nothing like opening the doors andwatching the girls run out in the morning,” says Dan (eats eggs everyday/everyway) endearingly. Such enthusiasm has undoubtedly helped Blackacre growinto one of the largest producers of free-range eggs in the
SouthWest.Not bad, considering the business started out as a bit of an accident. Dan’s dad Tim(boiledwith
HEGIRLS HAPPY
DAN WOOD LIKES TO KEEP ‘HIS GIRLS’
HAPPY. ALL 16,000 OF THEM. EVEN HIS WIFE BRIONY HAS 400 OF THEM ON THE GO. BY SARAH ASHWORTH
“There’s nothing like opening the doors andwatching the girls run out in themorning,”
soldiers) andmumJudy (scrambledwith salmon) first stumbled on Blackacre Farm 40 years agowhile looking to base their lucrative sheep-drug business.With a fewrearing sheds on site, the couple were approachedwith an offer of point-of-lay pullets - chickswhich are reared and then bought back once ready to lay.When the farmer pulled out at the eleventh hour theywere leftwith hundreds of chickens on their hands, and
60 | THE WEST COUNTRY FOODLOVER
Blackacre FarmEggswas hatched. Successfully producing caged-eggs, as
themajority of egg-farmers once did, the hundred-strong brood soon grewinto 100,000. Timeven delivered to his 600 independent customer base himself. But when Dan returned to the farmaged 22 after agricultural college hewaswell aware of the changing poultry industry. Sensing a growing resurgence in ethical produce, the farmbegan offering free-range eggs alongside the caged, until
in 2012,when the farm went 100 per cent free-range. Dan says it’s ‘ethically
nicer to be free-range.’ Instead of 100,000 chickens on four acres of land, there
are now16,000 on 70 acres. Space isn’t the only requirement for producing free-range eggs; ‘the girls’ are fed a naturalmix ofwheat and barley and must also have access to runaround outside for 12 hours of the
day.Mass consumers are also beginning to appreciate the taste and notion of 'happy'
eggs.Aswell as supplying the same independent stores, Blackacre eggs can nowbe found in the larger supermarkets
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